Button.



R. Q. JOB-DAN. BU TTON. APPLICATION FILED JAN.13. 1917.

1 ,Q3L9Q2o Patented July 3, 1917.,

drwewlin hTATE'h PATENT REBECCA Q. JORDAN, 0F CAMDEN, JERSEY.

BUTTON.

Application filed January 13, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REBECCA Q. JOY-DAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Camden, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buttons, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of an improved button and is especially adapted for use as a shoe button. One object of my invention is to provide a shoe button which can be quickly and securely attached to the shoe, said attachment being made without any sewing or means other than is provided by my invention.

A further object is to so make my improved button that it will be of simple construction and can be manufactured and sold at a low cost.

Another object is to so construct and design my improved button that it will have the appearance of the usual form of shoe button but which can be more firmly secured than buttons which are sewed to the shoe.

These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, I attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figures 1 and 2 are elevation views showing the manner in which my improved button is attached to a strip of leather such for example as the flap of a shoe.

Fig. 3 is an elevation showing a modified form of my invention, and

Fig. 4 is an elevation in which the head of the button is shown in section and illustrating another form of my invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, 1 represents the head of the button which is preferably made of material which may be molded into compact form, and embedded therein is the head 2 of a fastener 3.

This fastener 3 is preferably made of strong wire, the wire being bent upon itself to produce the head 2 and also to form a shank 4 and prongs 5 and 6. The shape and location of the shank 4- forms an important feature of my invention and consists primarily of two outwardly curved portions 7 and 8 which are oppositely disposed.

The portions 7 and 8 at their outermost surfaces, blend or connect with the prongs 5 and 6 by being curved inwardly as shown at 9 and 10 respectively. These curves 9 and Specification of Letters Patent Patented July 3, 1917.

Serial No. 142,263.

10 enable easy adjustment to the flap 11 of the shoe after the prongs 5 and 6 have pierced said flap as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. In other words, the curve portions 9 and 10 act to seat against the flap 11, and thereby form a snug fit with said flap, thus spacing the button head 1 from the flap.

Theportions 7 and 8 are again curred inwardly as shown at 12 and 13 to engage each other, and these curved portions 12 and 13 provide the proper shaping to permit the easy manipulation of the buttons after they have been secured to the shoe, thus by the gradual rounding ouhvardly of the portions '7 and 8, the shank is securely held to the outer surface of the flap when the prongs 5 and 6 are separated and pressed into the position shown in Fig. 2, namely, against the inner surface of the flap 11.

Furthermore, it will be noted that the curves 9 and 10 of said shank form a particular function when the prongs are bent into the position shown in Fig. 2, since the prongs naturally follow and bend in such manner as to form a continuation of said. curve and tightly clamp the flap between the shank and the prongs (see Fig. 2). When so attached, the button viewed from the outside of saidflap has the appearance of the usual shoe button which has the eye formed con tinuous and secured to the head of the button.

The head 2, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, is produced by shaping the wire of the fastener into the form of a partial ring, the button head being molded onto said head. The prong 6 is preferably made of greater length than the prong 5 to readily permit the initial separation of the prongs after they have pierced the flap. 1

The form of my invention shown in Fig. 3 is substantially identical to that described in connection with the above mentioned figures, with the exception that the head 14 is made by off-setting the wire of the fastener to produce a head which is substantially T- shape. In all other respects the construction is the same as in Figs. 1 and 2, and I have therefore given similar parts corresponding reference numerals.

In Fig. 4, instead of having the head of the fastener entirely embedded within the button head 15, I provide the latter with a recess 16 which communicates with a passage 17, the latter having a stem portion 18 of the fastener passing therethrough, said fastener having an enlarged head 19 fitting said recess.

The recess 16 is open at the top so that the head 19 is visible. Furthermore, the recess 19 is of greater width than that of the passage 17 so that the button head 15 is securely held between the head 19 and the shank 4.

In the use of my invention, the points of the prongs and 6 are placed against the flap of the shoe in the position where it is desired to attach the button, and a slight pressure inwardly will cause the prongs to pierce the flap and move the shank 4: into engagement with the outer surface of the flap as shown in Fig. 1. It is then merely necessary to spread the prongs into the position shown in Fig. 2 in order to complete the attachment of the button. It will thus be noted that the prongs act both in the capacity as a piercer and as a fastener, the formation of the shank serving to properly space the button head from the flap and to assist in retaining the flap in position.

Furthermore, by shaping the shank as above described, it is practically impossible for the pierced hole to become larger, since the portion of the flap adjacent the hole is firmly retained between the shank and the prongs. In other words, both surfaces of the flap adjacent the pierced hole are pocketed between the shank and the bent prongs. This prevents injury to the shoe and firmly secures the button so that when a number of buttons are secured in place, all of the buttons will have the same appearance and will remain in their original alinement.

While I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that the various parts of my invention may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A button having a one piece fastener secured thereto, said fastener having two end portions forming prongs arranged close together to form a piercer, and a shank bulged outwardly from the intersection of the fastener with the button, said shank being produced by said fastener between the prongs and the button, said shank forming a spacer between the head of the button and the material to which the button is to be attached,

said prongs being designed to be bent agalnstthe surface of the material opposite to that which the shank engages, substantially as described.

2. A button having a fastener secured thereto and made of a single piece of wire bent upon itself to produce a head for attachment to the head of the button, said wire adjacent its junction with the button head being bent outwardly inopposite directions to form an enlarged shank, the ends of said wire being located adjacent each other to form prongs and to serve as a piercer for the material to which the button is to be attached, said prongs being formed by a direct continuation of the shank and being bendable into engagement with the surface of said material opposite to that which the shank engages, substantially as described.

3. A button having a fastener secured thereto and made of a single piece of wire bentupon itself to produce a head for attachment to the head of the button, said wire adjacent its junction with the button head being curved outwardly in opposite directions to form an enlarged shank, the ends of said wire being located adjacent each other to form prongs and to serve as a piercer for the material to which the button is to be attached, said prongs being formed by a direct continuation of the shank and being bendable into engagement with the surface of said material opposite to that which the shank engages, substantially as described.

4. A button having a fastener secured thereto and ma do of a single piece of wire bent upon itself to produce a head for atta chment to the head of the button, said wire adjacent its junction with the button head being curved outwardly in opposite directions to form an enlarged shank, the ends of said wire being located adjacent each other to form prongs and to serve as a piercer for the material to which the button is to be attachec, said prongs being formed by a direct continuation of the shank and being bendable into engagement with the surface of said material opposite to that which the shank engages, said shank having inwardly curved portions adjacent its junction with said prongs for engagement with said material after the latter has been pierced by the prongs and serving to facilitate the initial bending of the prongs into their attached positions, substantially as de scribed. p p

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BESSIE Q. JORDAN.

lVitnesses i S. Monnon JORDAN,

JANE J. F 0111).

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each; by addressing-the (Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

